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This paper aims to investigate how different knitted structures affect the illuminative effect of polymeric optical fibres (POFs).

Knit prototypes were constructed using a 7-gauge industrial hand flat knitting machine. The textile prototype swatches developed in this study tested POF illumination in three types of knitting structures: intervallic knit and float stitch structures; POF inlaid into double plain and full cardigan structures; and double plain and partial knitting structures. The illuminative effects of the POFs in seven prototype swatches were analysed and compared.

It is possible to use an industrial hand flat knitting machine to knit POFs. Longer floats expose more POFs, which boosts illumination but limits the textile’s horizontal stretchability. The openness of the full cardigan structure maximises POF exposure and contributes to even illumination. The partial knitting in different sections achieves the most complete physical integration of POFs into the knitted textiles but constrains the horizontal stretchability of the textiles.

The integration of POFs into knitted textiles provides a functional illuminative effect. Applications include but are not limited to fashion, architecture and interior design.

This study is novel, as it investigates new POF knitted textiles with different loop structures. This study examines how knit stitches affect POFs in intervallic knit and float stitch, inlaid POF double knit, double plain and partial knit and the illuminative effects of the knitted textile.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an illuminated polymeric optical fibre (POF) garment – the LUMI jacket – with accessibility and wearability improvements. This paper demonstrates how wearable technology can be seamlessly integrated into daily life.

An interdisciplinary approach involving design and technological techniques was adopted. Both garment design approaches and textile technologies were used to optimise the performance of a POF jacket. A group of tactile sensors was developed to create an easy-to-access interactive function. A POF fabric sample and garment were washed and examined to prove that a POF garment could be made part of a domestic laundry routine.

As a result, an illuminated POF garment – the LUMI jacket with textile-based switches – was created. Compared with current POF garments, the LUMI jacket’s wearability and accessibility were highly improved.

This project explored an unobstructive POF-illuminated garment to address the functional and wearable barriers to adoption. The interaction between wearer and garment is accessible. Electronics and textile touch sensors were seamlessly integrated into garment. Washability of POF garment was proved. This research explores how e-textiles can fit into everyday life.

Polymeric optical fiber fabrics (POFFs) have been used in a wide range of applications, from smart clothing to medical products; therefore, it is interesting to note that there is a gap in the literature which explores the use of POFFs within the context of interior textiles. This research explores the use of illuminative interior textile surfaces as a multifunctional media that can enhance the interior environment via changes in colors, luminescence and surface design, and also act as a power-efficient light source for illumination. The development of POFFs involves several techniques, such as weaving, laser engraving, and integration of electronics. In order to obtain aesthetically pleasing surface designs and textures, and achieve favorable tactile quality, different materials are combined together. Surface printing and embroidery technologies are also adopted to enhance the surface pattern. A collection of life-sized photonic interior prototypes is created. The light sources of the prototypes are light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are considered energy saving and eco-friendly.

The colors of traditional interior textiles cannot be changed. With the development of hi-tech textiles, interior textiles and furnishings with changeable colors are now possible with the integration of optical fibers. In this article, a study on the design of optical fiber integrated photonic interior furnishings is presented. First, the applications of polymeric optical fibers (POFs) in textiles are reviewed. It is observed that although there have been a wide variety in applications of POFs in textiles, research on the application of POFs in interior furnishing is rarely reported. The gap between technology and design handicaps the usability of photonic products. In order to design user-friendly photonic soft furnishings, a new design method is explored. Both technical and design aspects are considered in the development of photonic soft furnishings. A prototype of photonic fabrics and soft furnishings is successfully created. A usability test is undertaken to evaluate the performance of the prototype. The result of the usability test reveals that most of the subjects are satisfied with the overall performance of the prototype. They believe that photonic interior furnishings with changeable colors can enhance the environment. These usability test results are fed back to the design framework, and can provide a good source of reference for the improvement of photonic soft furnishing in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how electronic components can be utilized and integrated into polymeric optical fibre (POF) textiles to refine the design aesthetic, tactile quality and initiate the interaction of textiles with the users; and to study the design process of interactive products by using a novel design process model.

Fashion and textile design methods, textile technology are used in combination with modern technologies such as laser engraving, sensing, short-distance communication technology, throughout the entire process of development of interactive photonics creations.

The results of evaluation indicate that the engineered prototypes can enhance the interactive function of interior furnishing. The usability of interactive POF cushions is optimized by innovative design methods considering both design and technology.

This research explores to combine knowledge from different disciplines, including textile, electronics, sensor and laser to create interactive soft furnishings. The inter-disciplinary research provides a new perspective on how POF fabric can be utilized as a new media to change the way people interact with their living surroundings. The interior soft furnishings are no longer unresponsive to people, but can react to them, adapt to their behaviors, change color according to their preferences and therefore merge into our daily life. The developed prototypes reshape interior soft furnishing, and therefore have both theoretical and practical significance.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of the artist's authentic identity in fashion design and art collaborations and evaluate the efficiency of collaborative brand projects.

Through the case study approach, this paper explores the attempts of Adidas to create authenticity by teaming up with artists. It also investigates consumer attitudes toward the brand's collaborative projects via a questionnaire survey.

Authenticity can be understood in two general aspects: conceptual forms and incarnate forms. Within the value system of authenticity, Adidas' collaborative projects and diverse promotional strategies are to a large degree consistent with consumer aspirations. Nonetheless, the factors that contribute to authenticity via conceptual (e.g. originality, exclusivity) and incarnate forms (e.g. creative process, final designs) occupy different positions in the consumer's mind. This study also reveals that when a brand intends to launch such artistic collaborations, the selection of art style should be treated as an important issue, because specific consumer groups tend to have inclinations toward specific art forms.

More cases should be examined to enable the theory to be generalized to other artistic collaboration practices.

As a pioneering effort in this field, this paper explores the application of artistic authenticity to the fashion world via a collaboration with fashion brands. More importantly, it examines the efficiency of such collaborations and the roles that diverse forms of authenticity play in consumers' minds.

The purpose of this paper is to examine leading from the middle, which is consistent with calls to distribute leadership, while expanding the direction of influence, from the normal top-down to include a bottom-up or lateral direction. The paper proposes that the position of the vice-principal enables the role incumbent to lead from the middle as a boundary spanner. The research question was what leadership from the middle looks like for vice-principals.

The study consisted of interviews of 28 vice-principals and 10 principals. A mixed case and theme-oriented strategy was adapted, with member checking with each vice-principal.

The findings indicate that in leading from the middle, vice-principals play boundary spanning roles of connecting, translating and brokering: (1) connecting between organisational levels, (2) translating between vision/direction and actualisation, (3) connecting between middle managers and (4) brokering and translating between the ministry and the school.

Leading from the middle is a nascent concept which is worth exploring, given the complexity of educational systems with multiple ecological levels, and the need for leadership to create coherence between the levels.

This study examines the importance of nineteen selection criteria consumers might use in their choice of a professional service provider. Factor analysis reduced the variables to five factors—knowledge, comfort, time, social reputation, and accessibility. The results present strong implications for competitiveness of professional service providers, with knowledge and comfort items representing those most important to individuals.

It was elementary school field trip day at the National Zoo, and the lines at the animal exhibits were long and hot. Escaping to the deserted orangutan learning laboratory, called the ThinkTank, I was intrigued to find an exhibit titled, “Can Animals Think?” The scientists, I learned, used only three criteria to determine the existence of thinking in this simian world: (1) the evidence of ability to create and hold in mind an image, a mental representation of something not present; (2) the evidence of intention, having a goal or purpose and a plan to achieve that purpose in a certain way; and (3) the evidence of flexibility, the ability to discover multiple ways to reach a goal when the initial plan failed to work. Image, intention, flexibility. How many of the managers and MBAs I work with, I wondered, could pass the Orangutan's Test?